Fluid meter



Sept. 20, 1932. 'A HOLMES 1,878,238

I FLUID METER Filed May 14. 1950 v I i? 15 A6 14 INVENTOR azwwywm fl m m m water inthe meter to freeze,the breakable periphery of the well bottom. Thus the inthrough openings 22 in the bottom well portion 21.

The breakable plate 24 is provided with annular grooves or notches 25 and-26 on-the upper and lower faces thereof; said grooves being located adjacent'to the annular'shoulder 28 of'the well portion 21. The annular notches or grooves 25 and 26 by being d1sposed one above the other, provide I an annular restrictedsection in plate 24 that renders it easily breakable byexpansion of the water within. the meter housing upon freezin". I .7 Tn order to provide a passageway for water between the bottom of the piston chamber}? 7 and the breakable plate 24, an open frame. or

support is interposed between thebottomof the piston chamber and the top faceof the plate 24'. This support may consist of a depending annular ring 28 having a plurallty of apertures 29 therein adj acentto the upper face of the plate 24; As shownin the drawing, the ring 28. is formed as an integral part of thelower section 11 of the piston chamber 9, this beinga preferred form of construction as it may be manufactured and machined more. easily and at a'lower cost 1 than if the ring 28 were made as a separate part. lVhile the depending ring 28 is illustrated as being integral with the section 11 of the" piston chamber, it is to be understood thatit may be made'as a separate part for v the purpose intended;

As water flows through the meter it passes through the space or passageway provided by the ring 28, by way of the apertures 29, and through the piston chamber 9 in the manner referred toabove thereby causing the meter to register in proportion to the rate of flow of water therethrough. V

7 If, in. the operation of the, meter,- freezing temperatures are encountered causing the plate 24 mayv fracture or break at the restricted section afforded by the, annular notches or grooves 25 and 26. The breaking of the plate 24 will cause the piston chamber 9 to separate, that is, the section 11 will drop and come to rest upon theflange '23. In this position, the depending apertured ring 28 of the section 11 will extend through the. vopening in the plate 24 whichresults when the I portion thereof inscribed by the notches 7 Plate 24 norindicate that the meter is out of order because practically no water can flow through the piston chamber to the outlet 16, hence the consumer cannot obtain the usual flow from the spigots,faucets and the like.

When the meter is to be repaired, the flow of water tothemeter may be cut off and the casing 2 and container 1 removed from the housing 3 by removing the cap screws 4. The inexpensive broken plate 24 is, therefore, easily accessible, and can be readily removed and replaced by another plate. Reassembling the meter renders it operative again indefinitely until the plate 24 is again broken by reason 'of' freezing or other excessive pressure that would be injurious to the meter.

It is to be notedthat the space between the breakable plate 24 and the bottom. of the sec tion 11 of the piston chamber 9 is relatively small so that onlya small quantity of liquid will .be confined therein. For this, reason the liquid, in this space will freeze quicklyand possibly soonerthan the liquid within thepiston chamber when freezing temperatures are encountered. In any event, either freezing. ofthe water or liquid in the space between the. breakable plate and the bottom of the section '11, or the liquid within the piston chamber 9 will cause vtheplate 24 to break. 'If the freezing takes place within the chamber 9, the section 11 will be forced down- 3 wardly against the plate, by the expansion of the liquid, and cause the same to break.

Since the well 21 is vented to the atmosphere, the plater24 will be colder than the piston chamber 9, because the cold air can circulate within the well. It, therefore, follows that when the atmosphere is at freezing temperature, the plate 24 may be cooled to freezing temperature while the piston chamber emay' still. be above freezing temperatures. This being the case, the liquid in the space between the plate 24 and the section 11 of the chamber 9 will freeze before the liquid in the piston chamber freezes and thereb causes the plate to break.

In the assembly of the meter, the piston. chamberl9 is forced firmly against the plate 24 by thecap screws 4, these screws when drawnup causing the casing 2 to impinge on the upper section 10 of the piston chamber. It, therefore, follows that the pressure of the piston chamber upon the breakable plate 24, serves toinsure a liquid tight joint between said plate and the annular shoulder 23'.

. Having thus described the invention, itis Q supported on said shoulder and forming la water-tight joint-therewith, said plate hav-,.

inga notch therein disposed adj a-cent-to saidl fshoulder thereby to c ause saidplate'tobreak I in responseto a pressureof a predetermined value being developed within said housing,

a'ndan annular perforated ringdisposed be-,

tween the bottom of said measuring chamber and said plate to provide a water passageway of said chamber and 3 to be understood that various modifications and changes maybe made in the structure shown and described without departingrrom the' spirit and scope of the invention; 'It -is, therefore, desired that only such limitations V v 3. The'combination' swat meter have 1' ilng :a' housing and a measuring chamber;

therein, of a breakable plate supported in-thej bottom ofsaidf housing, said plate andthe" bottom of said housing forming a "chamber, 1

' the bottom wall ofsaid housing having open- 'ings to vent said chamber w the"atmosphere,-'v

aperforated annular i'ing for supporting; I, V 1 i g adjacent saidfshoulder to rendersaid plate to prov-idea waterspace between thefpla'te' V andsaid measuring chamber, and means for I supporting said plate inthe housing so that wateris normally V'prevented from reaching j g passa'gewaybetween said'measuring chamber;

and plate, communicating with the'tinlet port 1 pchamber." y A 2. Thecombination in awater meter ha ing" a housing and a measuring chamberi therein, of an annular shoulder, formed on 'saidplate; e

shall be placedon the invention as areimposed by thep'riorj art and the appended claims. 1 r V What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentis V 1. The combination n a water meter h'aving a housing and a measuring-chamber therein, of an annular" shoulder formed on the interior of the housing bottom, a-breakable plate supported on said shoulder and forming a water-tight joint therewith, and

an open frame for supporting said chamber to provide a water chambercbetweensaid plate andflthej bottom of-zsaid measuring the interior of the housing bottom, a plate between .the bottom,

said 'measuring chamber on said plate n so as said second mentionedrchamber.

ing a housingfand "a. measuring chamber therein, of a plate supported in" the bottom 0-1 said housing, said plate havinginotches therein so arrangedias to'causesaidplate to break inresponse'to pressure of 'a pr'edetermined value being'developed insaid hous- 'ing, said plateand thebottom'of said hous j ing forming a chamber, thebottom wallof said" housing having openings 'to vent saidchamber to the atmosphere, a. perforated an nularring for supporting said measuring Jchamber on said p-latcfso'as, to provide a j water space between the plate and saidmeas-z= I i I v a .uring chamber, and*means coacting: with openfto the atmospherethrough the (housing the housing, said chamber havin Medtaw a p epp -a i c c housing'at the 'top'ofsaidtchamber and disj i posed to normallyjshutioff co mmunication betweentheinteriorof thehousingandsaid I och-amberintheibottom of-said housing, said 7 plate heingnotched-to renderthelsainebreak ,1 able in response, to "the freezing of water j 1' i said housing, and' 'afperforated annular ring I li er supporting-said. measuringjchaniberon fsa-id platein spaced relation-thereto, said; f [i ring beingfso constructedjas to provide a j water. passageway "between the measuring breakable in respon said plate housingso'thatiiwater is nor ing a? housing and I a measuring" chamber therein ,-iof ans:annularj'shoulder' formed'gon y the interior; of the housing b'ottom',-a plate.

supported "on; said;shoulder;andiforming a watertight 'joint therewith, said plate havin g a notc'h disposed adj acentto' andinwardly of saidshoulderrto cause saidplate'to break in yi'esponse to; freezing .of water infsaid housing, and; anj openfframeifor supporting said measuringchamber on said plate in F spaced relation; thereto-xsowas to provide a 7, I I water passageway betweenthemeasuring I chainberand the plate. d on said plate in spaced relation thereto so as 6." The fcombinationin a water meter hav-f "lnga housing "and a measuring chamber 10.

catedtherein', or aehamter inthe bottom of by said chamber and: the platej V 7'., The combination with ajwater"meter bhaving af' fhousingand afchamber'thereinpfi' 3 v v said measuring "chamber having aninlet port, the'bottomr of said housing having an opening therein communicatingiwith the at mospheredof.a- -plate supported within the housing and normally closing ofii eommuni- --"ca tion',- through said opening, between the i interior for said'ho'using and the atmosphere,

said plate havinga notch thereinfdispo'se d breakable-in response to freezing of water in said h'ousing',"1 and' means; supporting the j measur ng chamber lnspaced relatlontothe r of said measuring chamber.

i plateiand soconstr'uctedas to provide a'waterfl 1 I r s; Aghousing for a; liquidmeterhavinga wellgintegr altherewith, the bottom or said @WBll having perforationstherein tovent the; interioryfof saidwell to the atmosphere, a? plate supported inflthe housingandi normally 1shuttingofi' communication between the in- 'terior of the housing and said-well, said plate 1 having. anotc'h therein disposed adj acent its a ;-.point of support thereof to rend'er said-plate."

v 7 S6 fiQ Water uni;saicl-houslng r f l i V I A p 9- Q ll'quld'metencomprlsmg a h i bottom, a plate supported within the housingand normally shutting off communication between the interiorrofthe housing and the atmosphere, said plate having a notch therein disposed adjacentthe point of support therefor to render said plate breakable in response to freezing of water in said housing, aperforated ring on said plate and a Wobble plate piston chamber disposed Within the housing and mounted on said ring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of May, 1930.

ABRAM G. HOLMES. 

